Pantín, Valdoviño, August 30 – Incredible waves and intense heats marked the fourth day of the Abanca Pantin Classic Galicia Pro of the WSL, which gained momentum this Friday, stretching the competition for 11 uninterrupted hours from 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM to advance toward the final rounds. The semifinals and the grand final have been moved up to Saturday, the 31st, to take advantage of the best ocean conditions.
The fourth day of high-level, non-stop competition at the only WSL event in Spain, held in Galician waters, could be followed live, featuring alternating rounds for men and women in an almost epic day of surfing.
In the men’s quarterfinals, the French surfers Luan Nogues, Charly Quivront, Gatien Delahaye, Nicolas Paulet, and Jorgann Couzinet made it through, alongside Portugal’s sole remaining competitor, Afonso Antunes, and Spaniards Hans Odriozola and Sexan Gunning, who will battle it out in the next rounds.
Among the male surfers, six promising Spanish representatives stood out, especially Hans Odriozola, who gave a remarkable performance, along with the surprise appearances of Sexan Gunning, Conor Donegan, Néstor García, Yago Domínguez, and Keoni Lasa. They reached the round of 16 with excellent surfing among 119 competitors from the European surfing elite in a competition at Pantín, which is a qualifying event for the world circuit.
Along the way, some notable athletes were eliminated, including Andy Criere from the Spanish Olympic team; Adur Amatriain, champion in 2021 and 2022; Lukas Skinner; Joaquim Chaves; and the reigning champion, Maxime Huscenot.
In the women’s category, the fierce competition left the Spanish contingent out of the final phase. The eight surfers who reached the quarterfinals are Teresa Bonvalot, Carolina Mendes, and Francisca Veselko (POR); Noah Klapp (GER); Bahia Frediani, Tya Zebrowski (just 13 years old), and Sarah Leiceaga (FRA); and the Israeli Anat Leloir. The last Spanish representative, Sol Borelli, was eliminated in the round of 16, though she had a very good championship.
AWARDS CEREMONY SATURDAY AT 6:00 PM AND LIVE MUSIC
The semifinals and grand final of the 37th edition of the Abanca Pantin Classic Galicia Pro have been moved up to Saturday, the 31st, to make the most of the best ocean conditions, according to the WSL (World Surf League). The awards ceremony is scheduled for 6:00 PM on the main stage, followed by a musical highlight with live performances by Mario Azurza, Fuah, and DJ Caste.
The event will keep its doors open on Sunday, September 1, with the official store offering the exclusive Vazva collection, leisure and dining areas, the Skate park, and the “Espazo Corresponsables,” a free space for children aged 4 to 16, open from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, provided by the Dirección Xeral de Igualdade da Xunta.
PANTIN GENUINES GALA
The Pazo Libunca in Narón hosted the Pantin Genuines Gala on Thursday night, organized by Xoiería Jael-Etiqueta Heuer and hosted by Luis Zahera, honoring two historic and distinguished surfers: French surfer Pauline Ado and Basque surfer Eneko Aceiro, for their commitment and connection to the championship.
Ado, an Olympic bronze medalist with the French team, participated in more than 13 editions of Pantín from 2003 to 2024 and was the champion in 2007. Meanwhile, Eneko was the winner of two editions of the Pantin Classic since its inception in 1988 and is one of the greatest promoters and ambassadors of Spanish surfing.
Additionally, the event’s organizers wanted to honor the surfers of the Spanish Olympic team for Paris 2024: Andy Criere, Janire González-Etxabarri—present at the current edition—and kitesurfer Gisela Pulido. Unfortunately, Ana Peleteiro could not attend due to medical advice but sent her congratulations via video.